Golden Slipper: What you need to know

SYDNEY Mar 22 2019

* Race was first run in 1957 and was won by Todman, ridden by Neville Sellwood, by eight lengths

* Won by 28 colts, seven geldings and 27 fillies

* Eighteen favourites have won, the latest Vancouver (2015)

* Was narrowly won in 2018 by Estijaab, after the filly overcame a wide barrier

* The record for the most Golden Slipper wins by a jockey is shared by Shane Dye and Ron Quinton, who've both won the race four times

* TJ Smith is the only person to have bred, owned and trained a Golden Slipper winner - Bounding Away in 1986

* Smith shares the Slipper training record of six wins with his daughter Gai Waterhouse, who has also trained half a dozen champions

* Fellow trainers Bart Cummings, Lee Freedman and Clarry Conners have all won it four times

* Waterhouse trained the trifecta in 2001 when her first winner Ha Ha beat Excellerator and Red Hannigan

TALKING POINTS

* A heavy track is predicted for Saturday's race

* Yes Yes Yes has fallen out of favour after drawing wide. Cosmic Force now heads the betting after drawing barrier two and winning on a wet track

* A capacity field of 16, plus three emergencies, has been declared

* Global operation Godolphin will have seven horses in the mix. Head Australian trainer James Cummings has five two-year-olds - Tenley, Pin Sec, Kiamichi and Exhilarates - in the field as well as first emergency Bivouac. Anthony Freedman trains Godolphin's Blue Diamond Stakes winner Lyre

* Barrier one is the most successful gate, producing nine winners

* Barrier 13 is the most unlucky with no winners

* Only two horses have broken their maiden with a Slipper win - Sweet Embrace (1967) and Fairy Walk (1971)

* The Golden Slipper is the first leg of the 2YO triple crown followed by the ATC Sires' Produce Stakes and Champagne Stakes

* "My initial thought is obviously a little bit deflating. But it is what it is. We can't change it. We'll just have to come up with a game plan and there's a lot to unfold. But at the end of the day I've got a horse I believe that can win the race" - Yes Yes Yes jockey Blake Shinn on drawing wide.

* "I think from there we are not dictated to what we actually have to do. Where he is, is perfect really. One out and one back in the run would be my best outcome I think" - trainer Chris Bieg on Free of Debt's barrier 10

"It hasn't been done for a while, the Blue Diamond-Slipper double, especially without a run in between,. So from that perspective history is against her but she doesn't know that" - Lyre's assistant trainer Sam Freedman